7.5 miles of picturesque running is guaranteed at the Carsington 7+ event which in 2024 is scheduled for 19 May and will see runners follow a route starting and finishing close to the Carsington Water Visitor Centre.

The course takes participants on a full clockwise circuit of the reservoir, taking in spectacular, and (organisers hope) sunny views across the water and the beautiful Derbyshire countryside.

Whilst it’s easy to assume this is a flat race due to the location, there are in fact a few climbs along the way. However, the reservoir and surrounding areas form a stunning backdrop and will take any runner's mind of the uphill sections.

Carsington Water is the UK’s ninth largest reservoir, capable of holding up to 8 million gallons of water and 31 metres deep when full. It's a sports lovers paradise where runners share the stage with cyclists, anglers and watersports enthusiasts amongst others.

The race was started in 2012 by two trustees of Derby & District RSPCA who were avid runners. The first race had just over 100 runners and it was a very wet affair, nowadays the event sees over 400 runners taking part.

Due to its success, Derby & District RSPCA passed the organisation and management of the race to RunDerby but it still remains the headline charity and provides on-the-day race support.

The event is also part of the RunDerby Race Series and you can opt to sign up for the triple challenge which includes entry to Carsington 7+ as well as the Wilne 10K & Derby 10 Mile.

If you'd like to know more, visit the Carsington 7+ website.

Image: Carsington 7+ Facebook